Suction cup

Abstract

A suction cup has a flat central portion on its concave side having a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon, the layer of adhesive is covered by a stripable protective liner.

I claim: 
     
       1. A suction cup formed of a resiliently flexible material and having an upwardly concave side, said concave side having a generally flat central portion surrounded by a depending outwardly flaring annular skirt which forms the major portion of the concave side of the cup, said central portion having a pressure sensitive adhesive surface with an overlying strippable cover sheet thereon, the outer flat face of said cover sheet lying in a plane closely adjacent the surrounding portion of the concave side of the cup so that when the cup, said adhesive surface being substantially flush with the inner face of the suction cup is pressed firmly against a flat face the annular skirt is adapted to be flattened into coplanar relation with the cover sheet (or said adhesive surface if the cover sheet is removed) whereby a minimum of air is trapped between the suction cup and said flat surface and as a result thereof the degree of suction obtainable with the cup is not diminished by the presence of said adhesive surface with or without the cover sheet. 
     
     
       2. A suction cup as called for in claim 1 wherein said adhesive surface comprises the outer surface of a thin resiliently compressible disc secured to said central portion of the cup, said disc being adapted to be compressed to a thinner thickness when the cup is pressed firmly against said flat support surface as described to thereby decrease to a minimum the air trapped between the annular skirt and said flat surface. 
     
     
       3. A suction cup as called for in claim 2 wherein said disc is a piece of foam tape. 
     
     
       4. A suction cup as called for in claim 3 wherein said central portion is recessed and said piece of foam tape is seated in said recess. 
     
     
       5. A suction cup as called for in claim 4 wherein the recess has a depth at least slightly less than the thickness of the foam tape. 
     
     
       6. A suction cup as called for in claim 1 wherein said central portion comprises a flat rigid disc secured to the concave edge of the cup. 
     
     
       7. A suction cup as called for in claim 6 wherein the concave side of the cup is formed with a central recess and said disc is frictionally retained in said recess. 
     
     
       8. A suction cup formed of a resiliently flexible material and having an upwardly concave side, said concave side having a central portion surrounded by a depending outwardly flaring annular skirt, the concave side of the cup having a small diameter central bore therein extending axially in a direction away from the concave side of the cup and a generally rigid insert having a stem adapted to be frictionally and slideably engaged with said bore, said insert having a flat disc at the lower end of said stem, the bottom face of the disc having an adhesive surface applied thereto, said bore and stem being sized so that when said disc is adhesively secured to a flat support surface the suction cup can be telescoped over the stem to frictionally engage the stem with said bore and thereby support the cup on said support surface. 
     
     
       9. A suction cup as called for in claim 8 wherein said bore is closed at the end thereof remote from the concave side of the cup so that the cup can be used in the manner of a conventional suction cup when the insert is not engaged with said bore. 
     
     
       10. A suction cup as called for in claim 9 wherein said bore has a length at least equal to the length of the stem so that the cup can be fully telescoped over said stem and pressed against said support surface to a position wherein said annular skirt is in a generally flattened condition against said support surface.